You need to take your time when picking out your preferred type of penile prosthesis. This decision is vital to your penile implant recovery. Your physician can assist you in choosing the best implant for you depending on your age, ED symptoms, medical history, among other factors. The three penile prosthesis kinds are:
- Two-piece inflatable
- Semirigid (Non-inflatable)
- Three-piece inflatable
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Each Kind of Penile Prosthesis
Non-Inflatable Penile Implant
This semi-rigid prosthesis has two pliable rods inside the corpus cavernosa. There is no liquid reservoir or pump on this kind of implant. The device enables the penis to work during sexual intercourse, although it stays semirigid, whether in use or not. The non-inflatable penile device has the least complications for the different kinds of prostheses (1).
It has fewer parts, which implies a simpler surgery process and a lower risk of mechanical malfunction. This implant is the easiest to operate and the least expensive alternative. It is a perfect fit for those suffering from poor physical agility because of medical conditions such as arthritis.
On the other hand, these prostheses remain semirigid, which makes them hard to disguise under clothing. A permanent erection could be bothersome and uncomfortable. Due to this, they remain the least popular type of implant.
Two-Piece Inflatable Penile Device
This prosthesis features two flexible rods and a pump. There is a saline solution in the rods or the pump. The solution is pressured into achieving penile rigidity at the discretion of the owner. During surgery, both the pump as well as the expanding rods, are put inside the shaft of the corpus cavernosum and the scrotum (2).
The primary benefit of the two-piece inflatable penile prosthesis is that it has a release valve. The saline solution goes back into the fluid reservoir in the pump whenever the valve opens. This causes an erection to subside. Unlike the non-inflatable device, the patient can have an erection only when desired.
As for its downside, the two-piece inflatable penile implant seems unusual to others. It contains a small pump that can be hard to operate for people with limited agility.
Three-Piece Inflatable Prosthesis
During the penile prosthesis operation, the liquid reservoir goes into the abdominal cavity of the patient instead of holding the solution in the inflatable cylinders or the pump. The pump is surgically put in the scrotum while two inflatable tubes go into the penis shaft. This kind of prosthesis feels and appears more natural compared to other devices (3). When deflated, your penis is fully flaccid and has no rigidity.
It has a relatively large and user-friendly pump than the two-piece implant. The three-piece penile implant is the most popular and has the firmest erections. You should talk to a licensed urologist or qualified surgeon about the ideal implant for you.
Choosing Penile Prostheses Considering Pros and Cons
The healthcare team will provide you with guidelines on how to change your bandage and care for the surgical cut sites. Closely following the advice given by the medical staff will ramp up your recovery time.
Links to Sources Used:
- Non-inflatable penile prosthesis for the management of urinary incontinence and sexual disability of patients with spinal cord injury https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3774367/
- Ambicor 2-Piece Inflatable Penile Prosthesis: Who and How? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29339015/
- Three-piece Inflatable Penile Prosthesis: Surgical Techniques and Pitfalls https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296438/